le quartier français

Present wrapping for the children of Isabelo

The busy present wrappers had quite a haul to get through for our upcoming annual Isabelo Christmas party!

Taking place on 3 December, each child in our feeding scheme will receive a present from Santa Claus himself. And, there will be cupcakes, many, many delicious cupcakes. We can’t wait!

What is the Isabelo Feeding Scheme?

We have been able to serve a very nutritious lunch every school day to 120 children across 3 play schools. The meals are prepared by our Le Quartier Francais team, who selflessly donate their time and expertise so that every cent donated is spent on food for the children.

We have also been able to financially support an extra 160 000 meals for the children in two Franschhoek schools through also the Kusasa Breakfast Club. This started with porridge every week day morning and we were able to increase the nutritional value by adding an egg to their porridge 4 days of the week.

We strive to continue and grow this initiative. With continued support, have no doubt that it will change the lives of more children than we ever imagined possible!

The Cape Leopard Trust 10th anniversary Fundraising Lunch

Coming up on August, 16; Neil Jewell of Bread & Wine will be cooking at the 10th anniversary Fundraising Lunch of The Cape Leopard Trust: ‘an afternoon of delectable food, light entertainment and fabulous people’

Joining him on the star-chef line-up are Vanessa Marx and Pieter de Jager—and together the three fabulous chefs will’prepare a relaxed family-style lunch’. While local personalities Braam Malherbe and Liezel van der Westhuizen get involved in the kitchen too.

Plus, Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp and Ian Bredenkamp will lead you through the afternoon.

What will Neil be cooking? A silky rendition of Champagne risotto, pea and truffle oil.

Tickets are R1 500 per person and are available via : Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards, Lené van der Merwe at +27 (0)21 876 8002 or email reservations@leopardsleap.co.za / Or Opulent Living at +27 (0)21 433 1699 or email CLT@opulentliving.co.za

Ticket proceeds as well as 100% of the money raised via the auction go directly to The Cape Leopard Trust.

Red Balloon Revolution Celebration

Yesterday the Le Quartier Français family joined the Red Balloon Revolution in celebrating the lives of 1500 children in Franschhoek. Find out more about the initiative here.

After a wonderful day of cupcakes, laughter and presents, we caught up with Margot Janse to ask her about the experience.

“It was really amazing to see to the expression on the children’s faces as they were all made to feel special. That a little attention and a small gift is so appreciated, and goes such a long way; it puts things into perspective for me and makes me realise what it’s all about. The responsibility we have to share and engage ourselves with everything around us is huge. Especially in this country.”

An opportunity to make a difference

The festivities for the Cape Wine Auction kick off today! See the full program of events here. And, tomorrow is the official Auction: a glamorous lunchtime affair at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch.

‘Margot Janse will lead a culinary team to present a stunning, but relaxed lunch to wile away the afternoon. Music, art, theatre and some of the greatest South African wines poured by the winemakers themselves will keep you entertained’.

This will be followed by the auction: ‘an opportunity to make a difference’.

View our exciting lot here! You’ll also be able to bid online.

Want to know more? Check out this interview we did with Mike Ratcliffe.

‘Margot Janse will lead a culinary team to present a stunning, but relaxed lunch to wile away the afternoon. Music, art, theatre and some of the greatest South African wines poured by the winemakers themselves will keep you entertained’.

This will be followed by the auction: ‘an opportunity to make a difference’.

The wonderful Wonderbag

We’ve long been fans of the Wonderbag. We use it in our Discover SA Flavours cooking classes, keep food warm for our Isabelo children with it, and much more.

The Wonderbag works by slow-cooking food that has been brought to the boil by conventional methods, without the additional use of electricity or fuel.

Use this revolutionary invention to cook just about anything, from stews and curries to even breakfast porridge. It’s perferct for camping or any kind of outdoor cooking: you can bring your food to boil on a fire after all. Plus, it’s a delicious method as the slow-cooking time draws out intense flavours.

It was invented by South African born, Sarah Collins to help reduce energy consumption during cooking in developing nations while helping families conserve on fuel.

And true to her ethos, for every Wonderbags sold in the U.S. the company donates one to a family in need in Africa.

The Wonderbag works by slow-cooking food that has been brought to the boil by conventional methods, without the additional use of electricity or fuel.

Use this revolutionary invention to cook just about anything, from stews and curries to even breakfast porridge. It’s perfect for camping or any kind of outdoor cooking: you can bring your food to boil on a fire after all. Plus, it’s a delicious method as the slow-cooking time draws out intense flavours.

It was invented by South African born, Sarah Collins to help reduce energy consumption during cooking in developing nations while helping families conserve on fuel.

And true to her ethos, for every Wonderbag sold in the U.S. the company donates one to a family in need in Africa.

PSFA currently feeds 22 000 children daily in 113 schools across the Western Cape. Last year, the Celebrity Chefs Challenge raised over R233 000, feeding over 630 learners for the entire year. For more info please contact us on 021 447 6020.

An auction item list is available to preview. Please email ccc@psfa.co.za to request a copy. Credit card facilities will be available. If you’d like to add items to the auction, please let them know.

The project began in 2011 in response to the high levels of unemployment among women living Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo – ‘many of whom have been without consistent work their entire adult lives’.

The skills-development and employment initiative has a team of dedicated women who make the quirky toys by hand. No two toys are exactly alike, making it a unique gift idea for baby showers and children’s birthdays.

The Cape Wine Auction

We’re thrilled to announce that on Friday, October 25th, The Cape Wine Auction will reveal their sponsors and charities as well as introduce their 20 ‘Auction Ambassadors’ at Le Quartier Français! Five other international launches will happen simultaneously to kick-start the international fund-raising.

Mike Ratcliffe of Warwick Wines, on behalf of the Auction Committee, answered a few questions about this exciting event.

What is The Cape Wine Auction?
Our annual charity wine auction. An anxiously awaited must-attend social event. The glamorous epicenter of the wine-lands. A showcase. A gastronomic banquet celebrating all that is great about our wine industry. An event to unite the industry around a common cause. A global branding opportunity for South African wine. A memorable party.

What will the Auction be like? The Auction will be a glamorous lunchtime affair on March 15th 2014, perhaps the most beautiful month of the year. Expect guests to be dressed beautifully in their best summer finery. Iconic South African winemakers and an A-list culinary team lead by Grande Chef Margot Janse will mingle with guests during a day of indulgence and fun. Interactive screens will bring the kitchen and auction activities to you. The auction itself will remain relaxed and fun with a professional auctioneer keeping it light and pushing guests to reach deep for an exceptional cause.

What will be auctioned?
Auction lots will focus on wine experiences. Special wines not available to the public, winery experiences and personal interactions with top chefs and winemakers in incredible locations. Ever wanted to buy a barrel from your favourite winery and follow its maturation through to bottling? Ever wanted a top chef and winemaker to partner for a dinner party in your home? How about a personally curated wine tour of iconic wineries and restaurants with a group of friends? Have you ever wanted access to the Napa Valley Wine Auction or Hospice du Beaune? Auction lots will invite the public into the beating heart of the wine industry. VIP access has never looked so good.

What is the charitable focus?The auction will focus on the two pillars of ‘local’ & ‘education’. By definition, the Auction will focus it’s proceeds predominantly on education in the wine-lands of South Africa. The Auction remains inclusive of all aspects of education from infant development, through nutritional education all the way to the provision of a leadership academy and tertiary educational endowments. The charities that will align with the Auction are The Pebbles Project and the Make ADifference Foundation.

The Auction’s three day agenda?
The Auction aims to be a three day event encompassing a high-end introduction to the South African wine industry for inbound guests. The agenda will kick-off on Thursday night the 13th of March with a ‘Bring-a-Magnum’ party launch event hosted by one of South Africa’s most prestigious Franschhoek properties. Multiple events will be hosted around the winelands on Friday culminating in the ‘Barrel Auction’ to be hosted by Waterford Estate on Friday night.

Who will be at the Auction?The Cape Wine Auction needs to be an international event to be successful in it’s objectives. In 2014 we expect 250 guests with half of the attendees flying in from abroad. The Auction Ambassadors will be integral in identifying colleagues, friends & associates with a philanthropic agenda who will educated about the Auction objectives in advance, and will attend and bid on their specific auction lots.

What is an Auction Ambassador? The Auction aims to partner with 20 ‘Ambassadors’ who identify with the charitable cause and wish to be supporters. Ambassadors can be stakeholders, organisations, individuals or families. Ambassadors would be vocal in their support of the auction and align with the charitable vision of the organisers.

What role does an Auction Ambassador play?Curate an auction lot: Ambassadors will identify specific donors in their networks and approach them with the objective to create a lot that would be attractive to them. Based on the value of the proposed donation, Ambassadors would curate a specific lot to satisfy the wishes of that donor in order to ensure the donation is realized.Organise a pre-event: Ambassadors will organise pre-auction events to entertain their network, additional fund-raisers and/or become involved in the event organisation. The Auction intends becoming a three day event that could attract people to Stellenbosch for the weekend from around the world.Gather your philanthropic circles. Ambassadors can host a table at the auction and play a role in motivating guests towards extreme generosity.

Chefs who Share raised R1 195 000 for charity!

Earlier in September, Margot Janse took part in charity dinner Chefs Who Share. 14 acclaimed South African chefs – paired in duos –presented seven especially designed menus for the night. Margot was paired with David Higgs from Saxon Hotel and Spa.

“It was an amazing night,” said Margot. “14 chefs all there for the same reason. It was well organised and there was an amazing vibe in the room.

“David Higgs and I have been very good friends for a long time, and it was fabulous working on this function together! We had loads of fun putting the menu together and then finalising all the preparations with 1000km between us.”

Chefs who Share raised a total of R1 195 000 from ticket sales and an art auction which saw ten art pieces, donated by top South African artists, auctioned off by Cape Town businessman Iain Banner on the night. All proceeds raised by this prestigious event will go to MAD CHARITY (Make a Difference) and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

Veggie Boxes piled high with fresh ingredients donated by Woolworths destined for soup kitchens to feed underprivileged children, were also sold on the evening at R1000 per box. Chefs who Share hope to make this an ongoing initiative.